


Where We Belong

by Sigurdjarlson



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, I just had to write this when I saw them holding hands during that scene, Missing Scene, implied romantic golden queen, might be au-ish since im not sure when this scene would have happened, sometime before the confrontation with Hook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 20:29:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7068907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sigurdjarlson/pseuds/Sigurdjarlson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well, it would be a shame if I didn’t allow this story to come full circle, don’t you think?” He said wryly as he dragged a thumb over her cheek, wiping away a tear she didn’t want to admit was there. “Once again, we’re back where we belong.”</p><p>“Together.” She finished for him and he hummed his agreement. “It’ll end the way it started."  Her voice sounded small even to her own ears and for a moment she felt like the young girl desperately yearning for her freedom all over again. She was the young girl who sought him out all those years ago. He was all she had back then and regardless of the consequences of that one decision she couldn't bring herself to regret it. Not now. She pressed her forehead against his and after a brief pause he closed his eyes as if he was simply enjoying the intimate gesture.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where We Belong

She wasn't sure why she had sought him out, of all the people she could choose to go to why was it always him? Maybe it was because he was her mentor or maybe it was because if anyone in this town knew how to get out of this mess it would be him. Maybe it was because she knew he would understand. Perhaps it was all of those reasons combined. “There’s no use is there?” She said quietly and for a moment she wasn’t sure he heard her but when he finally spoke his voice was surprisingly soft. 

“No.” He sounded tired, resigned even. That was more frightening than anything the Dark Ones were attempting to do to them. Rumplestiltskin always had a way out, he was always ten steps ahead of everyone else. In fact in the end he was almost always the one pulling the strings. If he had resigned himself to this fate then she knew the situation was truly dire. Maybe he was right and there wasn't anything they could do. Was this how their lives would end? Sent to hell by that wretched pirate?

No. She wouldn’t - no - couldn’t accept that. She couldn’t just let them all be dragged to the underworld. There had to be a way, some trick or spell she could try and even if the price was her own life she would not let them die. 

“The underworld won’t be as cruel to them as it will be to us.” He said and she jumped a little as a warm palm cupped her cheek. Her eyes darted up to meet his and he tilted his head a little as he simply looked at her, it was as if searching her face for something but what he was searching for she didn’t know. “We have countless sins to atone for. They don’t.”

“We deserve it after everything we’ve done.” 

“Yes, we do and I have no doubt..we will suffer for it. There are hundreds if not thousands of angry souls waiting for us. They'll want to have the justice they never received in life. If they can’t have it while they breathe, they’ll surely take it in death.”

She thought of a child staring at her with wide, terrified eyes as she set his home ablaze. The screams of his family and friends she once relished in would forever be branded into his memories and now her own. She thought of that same child, now an adult, brandishing a blade as he tried to avenge them.

She never blamed Percival for trying to kill her that night in Camelot. Not now, not then. 

But this wasn’t about her. It was about her son. It was about Emma, Snow, David, Robin and the children they would all leave behind. This was a fate they didn’t deserve and she would fight until her last breath to save them from it. 

“There’s nothing you can do, Regina.”

“You don’t know that.” 

He trailed his fingers over her cheek and his touch was soft and so very familiar even after all these years. It distantly reminded her of their first meeting all those years ago. He had ran his fingers over her cheeks and as cold and strange as the scaly texture of his skin was she didn't pull away. She didn't want to pull away then and as much as it pained her to admit it she didn't want to pull away now. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. What could she possibly say? There were many things that needed to be said between them but there wasn’t enough time and she wasn’t sure there ever would be. 

Instead she leaned into his touch ever so slightly and his lips twitched as if he might smile, the tiniest hints of one gracing his features. She stiffened slightly as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. It was quick, a light brush of the lips, barely a kiss but it brought tears to her eyes just the same. The sentimental gesture infuriated her and tore at her but all she could do was attempt to blink back the tears that were threatening to fall. 

It was so much easier to hate him. It was easier to focus on her rage. It always had been. 

“Gold..” She said when she finally trusted herself to speak again. He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly taken aback by the use of his curse name. It was easier to use the name she had given him. It made it all seem less personal and yet he always looked at her as if he knew it was a feeble attempt to distance herself from him. “You’re staying.” It wasn’t a question. If he was going to leave he would have left by now.

“To the very end.”

“Why?” 

“Well, it would be a shame if I didn’t allow this story to come full circle, don’t you think?” He said wryly as he dragged a thumb over her cheek, wiping away a tear she didn’t want to admit was there. “Once again, we’re back where we belong.”

“Together.” She finished for him and he hummed his agreement. “It’ll end the way it started." Her voice sounded small even to her own ears and for a moment she felt like the young girl desperately yearning for her freedom all over again. She was the young girl who sought him out all those years ago. He was all she had back then and regardless of the consequences of that one decision she couldn't bring herself to regret it. Not now. She pressed her forehead against his and after a brief pause he closed his eyes as if he was simply enjoying the intimate gesture.

She allowed herself the same luxury, closing her eyes and letting her breathing slow to match his. It had been a long time since either of them allowed themselves to be this intimate with each other. 

“Yes.” He said and when she opened her eyes she saw his were still closed. He was close enough to kiss, his nose brushing her’s as he finally opened his eyes to meet her gaze. Gold. His eyes looked almost golden in this lighting. His gaze seemed to linger on his lips for a brief moment but neither of them moved to close the short distance between them. “Fitting, isn’t it?”

“This story isn’t over yet” 

“You’re still going to try to stop this.” Despite his statement he didn’t sound particularly surprised. No, she supposed he wouldn’t be. He knew her better than that. 

“You think I’m being foolish” 

“Foolish but brave.” It almost sounded like a compliment and maybe it was.

“I have to try.” Henry. She had to try for Henry, for her family and..for him too? 

“I know.” She didn’t dare let herself dwell on it for even a minute but she swore she detected a hint of pride in his voice. 

“If I fail I expect you to be there.” 

“To die by your side? I thought you’d never ask.” His tone was brisk and businesslike once more but he didn’t pull away when she reached for his hand. When she looked up at him again there was something resolute about his expression. As if he had made up his mind about something. For a brief second he looked like there was something he wanted to say to her but instead he simply said “And if you succeed?”

“There’s a bottle of scotch with our names on it.” 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” She swallowed hard as he traced circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. Slowly, purposefully. It reminded her of something much less innocent. Something that should never happen again, something that could never happen again. 

“No.” She said honestly and she had to strain to hear his quiet huff of amusement but it was there all the same. 

“I’ll be there.” He said and she felt like she might melt under the intensity of his gaze. Even without his magic she still felt like he could see right through her. Maybe he could. 

“It’s a date then.” She said and that seemed to amuse him if only a little bit. “Either way..don’t be late.”

“Ah, but you’re the one who makes a habit of showing up late.” 

“At least I know how to make an entrance.” She let her hand slip from his palm and the sudden loss of contact was jarring, the empty space where his hand had been suddenly felt cold. 

“You always have.”

“I had a good teacher.” She took a few steps back, still holding his gaze for a few seconds or minutes - she wasn’t entirely sure - before turning and walking away from him. She felt his gaze on her until she turned the corner, heading for the docks. There was a a pirate she needed to confront. 

Maybe she could convince Hook to not make the same mistakes they did all those years ago. 

Then..if they survived this they would have that talk.


End file.
